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This year's popular home interior wall colors include a few carry-overs from 2011, but there are also some new, emerging trends worth understanding. A new collection of popular neutrals includes off-white, beige, sage green, teal-blue, yellow and smoky gray. Adding tans, browns, grays and purple to teal-blue softens and controls its power. Choosing red, blue, peach, black, green or coral to pair with yellow can create an energized space. Be careful of your shade of yellow, however, because natural and artificial lighting can change its warmth or coolness significantly. Lemony yellow is more associated with anxiety and should probably be left as an accent. Dark gray is the most popular neutral for 2012. It grounds a room and allows you the freedom to add vibrant pops of colours such as intense reds, yellows, purples, blues or black.

Once you have your neutral choice, it's time to consider what to add to it. Generally speaking, for a more compatible combination, match warm-toned neutrals with warm-toned accents and cool-toned neutrals with cool-toned accents. On the other hand, 2012 is all about unexpected combinations. While bright, bold shades seem to be declining somewhat, intense colors and contrasts definitely have a place in today's home design. The following combinations pack a lot of punch: cherry-red with blacks, blues, whites and grays; juicy, tangerine-orange with dark reds, browns and blacks; and deep blue-purple with yellows, blacks, whites and reds.

The following interior wall colour combinations can bring new life to the important rooms in your home:

Kitchen - Increase the energy and warmth with tangerine as either an accent for gray or as its own main color. Bright blue and white is a clean, fresh combination. How about yellow-green supported with earthy neutrals? Charcoal gray and white together are modernistic. Dark wheat, browns and white are sophisticated and versatile.

Bathroom - This year's color trends support calm, relaxing and natural spaces. Cool gray-blues or warmer purple-blues look elegant but unpretentious. Smoky grays are also subdued. Pale greens and browns continue the nature theme and work well for bathrooms with plants and flowers.

Living room - A new trend is to return to the glamorous elegance of the Hollywood styles of the '30s and '40s. For a more playful approach, mix in some unexpected, vivid colors. Bright yellow-green and dark brown neutrals are earthy and comforting. A gentle mix of apple green and fuchsia is uplifting and optimistic. Dark grays with rich purples are dramatic and interesting.

Bedroom - Monochrome color palettes continue to be popular in this romantic room. Dulled gold, mustard-yellow and sunflower mix with browns to form rich combinations. Greens and browns pull earthiness and nature into the room. Bright blue and sparkling white are modern and refreshing.

When choosing your interior wall colors don't neglect your own personal preferences' the colours that make you feel comfortable and satisfied. Your choices may lead you to a soft, earthy, natural environment; an intense, brightly energized space; an ambiance of quiet sophistication; or a fun place for quirky playfulness. Use your favorites as accents, or splash them everywhere. Feel free to express your personality in your choices. After all, this is your space, so color it to your tastes.